Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to a method of packaging and installing particulate insulation material.
Description of the Related Art
The “background” description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention.
The primary purpose of insulation in any application is to trap air, as a dead air space is one of the most effective blockages to convective heat transfer in buildings and structures. It is also highly effective in blocking sound. The problem with air, however, is that small convective cycles within the space can transmit heat from the warmer side of the space to the colder side whenever there is a difference in temperature. To reduce this loss, manufacturers have developed different methods to trap air in their products over the years, all with a similar goal in mind: to create the greatest number of closed air pockets as is economically feasible. The idea is that the smaller the air pockets trapped in the insulating material, the less likely an effective internal convective heat transfer cycle can form, and thus the greater the insulating value.
Moist vapor is the other significant issue, as the warm, moist interior of a home during the winter stands in sharp contrast to the colder, usually dryer air outside. Moist, heat laden air will naturally permeate through walls and ceilings to the colder, dryer air outside. The reverse is true of a home air conditioned in the summer. Current products attempt to reduce the heat and moisture transfer from the inside to outside, or vice versa, but must retain a measure of moisture vapor transfer capability (breathability) to prevent trapping the moisture and causing decomposition of the wall components. If not properly designed, insulating products could cause significant health and structural issues down the road, encouraging the growth of mold, insects, etc., as well as causing peeling paint on the outside and eventually rotting of the underlying structure.
The use of different types of insulation for construction is well known, particularly in the home and commercial building industries. For most practical building applications, they can be generally categorized into three major categories: fiber wool, which usually comes in rolls or batts that are placed in wall or ceiling cavities; cellulose, which is loosely blown into enclosed cavities or on top of attic floors; and closed cell foam, including extruded polystyrene and polyisocyanurate, which come in stiff boards of varying thickness and sizes, or are sometimes applied in an expanding foam spray.
Silica fiberglass is by far the most popular application for building insulation, as it is relatively inexpensive, light-weight and will conform to most any shape. A layer of moisture resistant paper or foil is usually applied on the side closed to the livening space to protect against moisture and reflect radiant heat, though the fiberglass itself allows moisture to move freely. The down side is that they are made of the crystalline form of silica dioxide (sand or glass), so breathing the particles when installing can be hazardous. They also lose their thermal efficiency when the moisture level (relative humidity) is high.
Cellulose fibers are made of paper or plant by-products, such as recycled newspapers or plant fibers from cotton mills. Although relatively harmless in their basic form, they are usually treated with toxic chemicals to give them fire retardant and moisture resistant properties before being delivered to the building site and blown in. These along with old newspaper ink and other residual chemicals, could outgas toxic chemical compounds. Insulation values are only marginally better than fiberglass, but both types, once wet, will retain significant amounts of moisture for extended periods of time. Lastly, closed cell foams provide the greatest thermal efficiencies, given the smaller size and permanence of internally trapped air cells. But they are difficult to work with and produce toxic chemicals and gasses in both their production and later outgassing.
In view of the foregoing, the objective of the present disclosure is to provide a safe, economical method of packaging and installation of new types of highly efficient particulate insulation material, such as an aerogel, to replace traditional insulation applications with significantly improved energy efficiency, and a more environmentally friendly approach.